speak up
speak up
1. To speak louder. What's that you're saying? Speak up!
2. To voice one's opinion loudly, aggressively, or publicly. If I had only spoken up when I suspected something was wrong, none of this would have happened. Many senators on both sides of the aisle are speaking up against the proposed legislation.
See also: speak, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
speak up (against someone or something)
to end one's silence and speak negatively and publicly about someone or something. She finally spoke up against her cruel boss. We all felt like we had to speak up and denounce this tyrant.
See also: speak, up
speak up
1. Lit. to speak more loudly. They can't hear you in the back of the room. Please speak up. What? speak up, please. I'm hard of hearing.
2. Fig. to speak out something). If you think that this is wrong, you must speak up and say so. I'm too shy to speak up.
See also: speak, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
speak up
1. Also, speak out. Talk loudly, so as to be heard, as in Speak up, child, I can't hear you, or He should speak out so that those in back can hear him. The first term dates from the early 1700s, the variant from the early 1500s.
2. Also, speak up for. Express one's opinion or one's support for someone or something. For example, When it comes to speaking up about the town's needs, you can rely on Mary, or I'm glad you spoke up for me in that meeting. [c. 1700]
See also: speak, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
speak up
v.
1. To speak loud enough to be audible: Speak up—I can't hear you.
2. To speak without fear or hesitation: You have to speak up if you want something.
See also: speak, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- speak
- lip off
- mouth off
- run off at the mouth
- run off at the mouth, to
- shoot (one's) mouth off
- shoot off (one's) mouth
- shoot off at the mouth
- shoot off one's mouth
- shoot one’s mouth off